Most gas grills contain burners that create flames to heat food. Normally, the burners are located below the food and some type of protection is normally needed between the burners and food to protect the burners from grease drippings and food deposits. Heat tents, which go by various names, e.g. flavorizer bars, is one such device commonly used to shield the burners and is located between the burner and the food. Tented burners are used in barbecue grills, however, presently available barbecue grills have several disadvantages. For example, known tented burner arrangements are ineffective in providing an optimum and even distribution of heat to the cooking surface of the grill. In addition, presently available grills shield some heat from the food and it is somewhat difficult to see if the burner is on.
Numerous innovations have been provided in prior art that are adapted to grilling appliances such as heat tents. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, however, they still have shortcomings. For example, related innovations provide for openings in existing heat tents to allow heat transfer, but the openings are too small to allow for even radiant heat and/or allow for grease drippings and other food debris to fall upon the heat source.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for grilling appliances such as heat tents and method of its assembly have been developed in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
Thus there remains a need for an improved heat tent design that will produce optimum heating and even distribution of heat. Similarly, there remains a need for an improved heat tent design that will be easy to clean and easy to maintain and repair. There also remains a need to protect the heating element of grill while obtaining these other objectives.